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This article was co-written by Audra Barrios. Audra Barrios is a marine biologist and owner of Lick Your Eyeballs, a business that supplies reptiles, supplies and plants. With over 15 years of experience, Audra specializes in reptiles and rare animals, environmental education, marine biology, conservation issues and animal husbandry. Audra holds a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and studied natural sciences at the University of Marin. She is the founder and CEO of Things That Creep, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving reptiles and amphibians through education. For the past 6 years she has worked as a biologist at the California Academy of Sciences.
There are 15 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 18,551 times.
Tortoises can be very interesting animals and are worthy of being kept as pets. These include box turtles and all other tortoises. Before choosing to adopt a tortoise, remember that turtles need to live both indoors and outdoors to stay healthy. In addition, water turtles can live over 30 years, tortoises live over 50 years (some can even live over 100 years). A tortoise can be your pet for life. [1] X Research Source
Steps
Choose turtle
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Review your options. Are you willing to raise a tortoise? Long-lived turtles, which can grow to quite large sizes, are not ideal pets for young children, and turtle care and food can be quite expensive (lights, fencing, veterinarians) y). Turtles have a long lifespan, so you also need to understand that it can outlive you if well cared for. [2] X Research Source
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Decide whether to keep water turtles or tortoises. Water turtles are omnivores and sometimes need to stay in the water. Tortoises eat only plants and live on land. Both species require both outdoor and indoor environments and require careful care to thrive. Tortoises are known for being “easy to keep” pets, but they actually require a bit of care. [3] X Research Sources
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Go to a turtle breeder and talk to other turtle owners online. Observe the turtles and see photos of some other options. Which children do you like? Which ones do longtime turtle keepers recommend? If this is your first time keeping turtles, you should also ask which turtles are easiest to care for and suitable for inexperienced turtle owners.
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Pay attention to the climate where you live. With good care, tortoises need to be outdoors at least for a while. Choose a turtle that can thrive in your area, which means you need to choose a turtle that likes to live in wet conditions if you live in a humid climate. On the contrary, if you are living in the desert, you should choose turtles that grow well in places with a dry climate. This will make it much easier for you to care for because you don’t have to create a new outdoor environment for your turtle and maintain stability.
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Choose small turtles. This is necessary if you must move and change the environment in which the turtle is living. Trying to create a new outdoor-like environment for a humid climate tortoise in cold climates can be difficult and expensive. [4] X Research Sources
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Find native turtles. Just as choosing a turtle that thrives in your climate makes it easier to care for, you should also choose a turtle native to your area. Native turtles are not found everywhere, but you can ask about turtle species that are likely to do well in the area.
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Buy turtles from a breeder or animal shelter. Turtles elsewhere are often caught from the wild, a practice that has led to a worldwide decline in turtle populations. To protect the environment and native turtles, the best option is to purchase locally bred turtles or tortoises from a shelter. [5] X Research Sources
Create an indoor environment for turtles
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Make an indoor shelter for turtles. The turtle’s habitat must be enclosed. There are many ways to make turtle houses, but in general should be relatively spacious, even for small turtles. Many documents suggest that at first, wide and deep plastic pots could be used as houses for turtles; But as your turtle grows, it will need more space. You can make use of old bookshelves and remove the shelves to make a turtle house, or use a children’s plastic swimming pool. Your final choice will depend on the species of turtle. [6] X Research Sources
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Furnishings for turtles. Turtles have unique needs, and the specifics will depend on the breed of turtle you choose. Make sure you have everything ready before you buy a turtle. You can’t keep and buy things for your turtle at the same time – turtles need everything right away.
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Buy the right substrate for your turtle breed. Turtles need the substrate to dig and also to dispose of waste. It is essential to choose a suitable substrate of good quality, as turtles will have a lot of contact with the soil. [7] X Research Sources
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Provides special lighting for tortoises. Turtles need light that provides UV-B rays to absorb vitamin B. You need to remember to replace the bulb every 6 months to a year as the bulb’s ability to make UV-B light will be lost over time. [8] X Research Sources
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Create more moisture for turtles depending on the species. Different species of turtles need different humidity, so you need to check the needs of the species of turtle you keep. This need can be low, medium or high depending on their native environment. Most turtles need a layer of dew on the substrate. [9] X Research Source
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Maintain the right temperature for your turtle species. You can buy heaters to create the right environment for your turtles. This is especially important if your turtle is not native to your area. Temperature is possibly the most important factor for turtles. [10] X Research Source
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Provide water for turtles. Box turtles and tortoises need water in their area. This need also depends on the species of tortoise, but in general turtles need a shallow dish or bowl of water to soak in (and possibly defecate in). [11] X Research Source
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Create a shelter for turtles. This is an essential part of the turtle’s way of interacting with the environment. Turtle hiding places can be as simple as a small plastic box or bowl with a hole in it. [12] X Research Source
Create an outdoor environment for turtles
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Make an outdoor shelter for turtles. This is just as important as an indoor home for many tortoises. Make sure your turtle’s home is spacious and safe. You need to protect the turtle from predators, and at the same time do not let the turtle go away. Turtle habitats should be high enough that they can’t climb out and must be fenced in the ground so they can’t dig underneath. Usually, the turtle’s habitat also needs a roof over it. [13] X Research Source
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Make sure to use the ground as a base for the turtle’s habitat. Do not use soil in your yard – that soil is not suitable for tortoises. You should know that grass – especially wet grass – is also harmful to tortoises. It can cause the turtle to scratch and hurt. [14] X Research Source
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Provide plants that turtles love to eat. Your tortoise will spend a lot of time outdoors, so it makes sense to plant a tree to feed it. You won’t have to worry about finding food for them, and they can choose to eat what they want. [15] X Research Source
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Create hiding places and exploration for turtles with materials such as stone, wood, etc…. Turtles should not be given a flat and monotonous outdoor area. Make small hills for turtles to climb, many areas for them to explore and many other rich environments inside their habitat. [16] X Research Source
Take care of your pet turtle
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Feed the turtle with proper nutrition. Some nutrients such as calcium or protein, if taken in excess, can stunt your turtle or even die. Remember that tortoises are herbivores, while box turtles are omnivores. You should feed your box turtle bare slugs, snails, crickets and other animal foods twice a week. The rest they will eat fruits like watermelons, berries and tomatoes. Green vegetables are also a great addition to a turtle’s diet. Tortoises do not eat animals, and their diets are quite different. You need to find out and determine what diet is best for your turtle species. [17] X Research Source
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Consider letting your turtle hibernate. Hibernation is a controversial issue among turtle owners. Check with your veterinarian if your pet turtle needs to hibernate. Remember that turtles that don’t have enough fat stores can easily die in hibernation. Hibernation is also not recommended for fragile turtles. Some turtle experts warn against hibernation. [18] X Research Sources
- If you choose to hibernate your turtle, you need to prepare the turtle’s accommodation carefully. You can even make a special hibernation box for turtles, depending on the needs of each species. The hibernation box needs to be placed in a place with a stable temperature and not flooded. Two weeks before your intended time for hibernating, you need to stop feeding your turtle, and begin to slightly lower the temperature of your turtle’s habitat. The hibernation period can last from 3 to 5 months. Make sure to check the temperature according to the needs of the turtle you keep. [19] X Research Source
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Create a good environment for your turtle and family. Tortoises should not live in homes with dogs (the turtle’s predator). Remember that turtles are not ideal companions for infants and young children. Many experts recommend that children under 12 years old should not be exposed to turtles. Most small turtles carry salmonella, which can be life-threatening to infants, the elderly, and people in poor health. Even if your tortoise is not a “little turtle,” children are still at risk of contracting diseases from turtles. [20] X Trusted Source US Food and Drug Administration Go to source
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Take your turtle to the vet for a routine checkup. Most turtles are parasitic and can carry other diseases, some of which are dangerous to humans. Depending on where you buy your turtle, your turtle could be at risk of malnutrition or dehydration. With turtles, it can be difficult to tell if they have a health problem, so choose a veterinarian who specializes in special animals. [21] X Research Source
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Change the environment for turtles as they grow. Most tortoises will grow quite large as they mature. This means you have to adjust your tortoise’s indoor and outdoor habitat, feeding, and possibly hibernation. Water turtles need 0.3 square meters of area for every 20 centimeters of turtle length. Tortoises need even more space – at least 2.5 square meters of space for every 30 centimeters of tortoise length. [22] X Research Source
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This article was co-written by Audra Barrios. Audra Barrios is a marine biologist and owner of Lick Your Eyeballs, a business that supplies reptiles, supplies and plants. With over 15 years of experience, Audra specializes in reptiles and rare animals, environmental education, marine biology, conservation issues and animal husbandry. Audra holds a bachelor’s degree in marine biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and studied natural sciences at the University of Marin. She is the founder and CEO of Things That Creep, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving reptiles and amphibians through education. For the past 6 years she has worked as a biologist at the California Academy of Sciences.
There are 15 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 18,551 times.
Tortoises can be very interesting animals and are worthy of being kept as pets. These include box turtles and all other tortoises. Before choosing to adopt a tortoise, remember that turtles need to live both indoors and outdoors to stay healthy. In addition, water turtles can live over 30 years, tortoises live over 50 years (some can even live over 100 years). A tortoise can be your pet for life. [1] X Research Source
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